Fig. 4.1. Great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) surrounded by fusiliers (family Caesionidae), Isla Guadalupe, Mexico
Image courtesy of Terry Goss, Wikimedia Commons
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Introduction to Fish
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Fish are probably the most iconic residents of the world ocean and other aquatic systems. They are known for their scales, gills, and fins. All fish are vertebrate animals that live in the water.
Ocean Literacy Principles
Principle 5: The ocean supports a great diversity of life and ecosystems.
Ocean Literacy Fundamental Concept: Ocean life ranges in size from the smallest virus to the largest animal that has lived on Earth, the blue whale. (OLP 5a)
Ocean Literacy Fundamental Concept: Some major groups are found exclusively in the ocean. The diversity of major groups of organisms is much greater in the ocean than on land. (OLP 5c)
Ocean Literacy Fundamental Concept: Ocean biology provides many unique examples of life cycles, adaptations and important relationships among organisms (such as symbiosis, predator-prey dynamics and energy transfer) that do not occur on land. (OLP 5d)
To build an understanding of how the ocean supports a diversity of living organisms and ecosystems, it is important to learn about the biology of fish. These concepts will be explored in this unit through the following activities and investigations:
Draw a Fish
Use your background knowledge to draw a picture of a “typical” fish, showing as many parts of a fish as possible.
What is a Fish?
There is an astounding diversity of fish in the ocean, rivers, and lakes. Look at different groups of aquatic animals to build a working definition of fish.
Fish Printing for Form and Function
Use your observation and investigation skills to investigate fish form and function by experimenting with ways of making gyotaku fish prints.
Observing Fish Scales
Use your observation and investigation skills to investigate different types of fish scales.
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